The Nation Newspaper

Category: e-Business

  • MTN, Ericsson launch first 5G customer trial

    Ericsson have partnered to launch the first 5G customer trial deployment in South Africa.

    The trial will begin with the deployment of a 5G fixed-wireless access site at Netstar’s headquarters in Midrand.

    “The field deployment in Midrand, situated between Johannesburg and Tshwane (Pretoria), is part of Ericsson’s continuing efforts to deliver end-to-end 5G capabilities to support MTN South Africa’s growth as well as 5G and enterprise ambitions,” MTN said.

    The 5G solution deployed operates on the 28GHz band with a total operating bandwidth of 100 MHz, using Ericsson trial antenna integrated radio units and Intel’s 5G Mobile Trial Platform to provide a 5G access point in the Netstar premises.

    Netstar employees can connect to this 5G network through a number of different WiFi access points. MTN said that following this field deployment, it is also planning to test other 5G consumer use cases.

    MTN South Africa CTIO Giovanni Chiarelli said the company has been working with Ercisson on 5G for lab tests, field trials and now customer tests.

    “Our aim is to build a network to cater for current and future required services,” Chiarelli said.

    He added that the current discussion regarding the imminent release of much-needed additional spectrum, should also include 5G spectrum in the primary 3.5 GHz band.

    “Access to 5G spectrum will see our nation able to actively participate on the cutting edge of the digital economy and we cannot afford to fall behind the 4th Industrial Revolution,” Chiarelli said.

  • Coker is ADCA Sec-Gen

    The Managing Director of Rack Centre, Africa’s premium colocation data centre,  Dr Ayotunde Coker,  has been elected as Secretary-General of the newly formed African Data Centre Association (ADCA).

    With over 30 African data centre operators and stakeholders, ADCA, which had its inaugural meeting at the Datacloud Africa conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, was set up to foster the development of the data centre industry on the continent.

    The composition of the board spans all geographical areas of the continent.

    According to the pan-African data centre body, the association represents the interests of the African commercial data operator’s community and its formation would enhance the understanding and prominence of the industry within and outside the African continent.

    Other members of the association elected are Fatoumata Sarr Dieng, Director of Wholesales at Sonatel, Senegal (Orange) elected as President; Wouter Van Hulten of Paix Data Centre Ghana as the Treasurer. Stephane Duproz   of Data Centre Africa (Liquid Telecom) South Africa and Kenya, Amine Kandil of N+ One, Morocco, Dr Lawrence Nkala of Tel-One Zimbabwe and Paul Francois Cattier of Schneider Electric, Ivory Coast as Vice Presidents.

     

  • Inlaks, Temenos win core banking project

    Leading system integrator in sub-Saharan Africa, Inlaks, and banking software company, Temenos has secured a deal in a Francophone country, Afriland First Bank Cameroon.

    A statement from Inlaks said the bank will power its digital transformation journey using Temenos T24 Core Banking and additional solutions including Temenos’ Front Office Suite, analytics and reporting, payments solution, risk and compliance and Islamic banking capabilities.

    Managing Director, Africa Operations of Inlaks, Femi Adeoti said: “We are delighted to partner with Temenos in executing this landmark deal which will see Temenos T24 replacing an entrenched core banking application in Francophone countries across Africa”.

    According to him the project would be implemented in seven countries comprising Cameroun, Côte d’Ivoire, São Tomé and Príncipe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, South Sudan and Guinea at its first phase.

    Inlaks would implement the Temenos software and would enable the bank to introduce new products and services more quickly, support its growth ambitions and continue to pursue its vision to become the most innovative bank in Africa.

    “The bank will also offer market-leading services to its customers through enhanced digital channels”, he said.

    Inlaks had implemented a similar project in six countries of the West Africa Monetary Institute comprising Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The project was an African Development Bank (ADB) sponsored project in collaboration with West African Monetary Institute (WAMI).

    Inlaks is a leading system integrator in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company partners leading OEMs in the technology industry to provide world-class information technology solutions that exceed the needs of its customers.

  • Tecno Pouvour 2 Gold Edition

    For Africa’s number one smartphone maker, Tecno Mobile, this has been a remarkable year. It has not only launched several record-breaking devices but has also won several outstanding awards along the line. Popularly called “Africa’s Biggest smartphone brand”, the firm has grown with a business model it said is focused exclusively on satisfying every mobile user. This model has ensured that it has been a smartphone power house in sub-Saharan Africa for the past decade with several laurels attesting to their successes.

    The launch of the Tecno Pouvoir 2 Pro Gold edition seems to have totally addressed that claim, as the device, rumoured to flaunt an 18karat gold back case, is really a sight to behold.

    Two things specifically stand out for the device – Design and Battery capacity. That being said, join me on this review and let’s discuss this new premium design from Tecno Mobile.

    Design

    In terms of the design and style, the Techno Pouvoir 2 Pro Gold edition is a choice device for any user who wants to have a sleek and premium looking pocket fitting device. The curves, gold frame, placement of the rear cameras and flash, are awesome.

    A 6.0-inch HD+full display smartphone, it is very slim to handle, allowing users the ability to handle the phone with a single hand.

    Battery

    Asides its classy look and feel, the device is a 5000mAH battery powered device that can run for up to four days after a single charge and is encased in a slim frame that acts as cover for the enormous capacity under the hood. This fits the habitual needs of smartphone users.

    The device runs on Android 8.1 Oreo OS and also supports 4G LTE connectivity, has 3GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage and so much more.

    The latest addition to the Tecno family is undeniably a strong contender for the best-looking phone of the year. From a premium ’18karat’ gold casing to a long-lasting battery life and so much more, the Tecno Pouvoir 2 Pro Gold edition, is an amazing smartphone pick for anyone out in the market scouting for a smartphone that truly combines the essentials of technological innovation, style and class.

    Camera

    In terms of camera, it’s safe to say the new Tecno Pouvour 2 Pro Gold version has it all

    When I first heard about the camera quality on the smartphone, I wasn’t very surprised because Tecno Mobile is known to breaking records when it comes to the camera. So, for the new Pouvour to spot a 16MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie shooter shouldn’t be shocking, but what should be considered news is that the rear camera is supported by a dual tone LED flash for preferred lighting effects even in dim light scenarios- that’s a really good addition.

  • NigComSat : low connectivity fuels rural poverty

    Lack of connectivity is one of the major factors fueling rural poverty across the country, Nigeria’s Communications Satellite Ltd. (NigComSat), has said.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Abimbola Alale, lamented that the telcos have consistently focused attention in providing access to rural areas such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, adding that if the provision of telecoms infrastructure to rural areas is prioritised, it would stop rural/urban drift and its attendant adverse effects on infrastructure, security and others.

    Speaking in Lagos at the strategic business interactive session organised by NigComSat in conjunction with the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ARCON), Mrs Alale said satellite technology remains the best technology option for rural connectivity.

    Also speaking on the occasion, the firm said it is eyeing both local and international market to offer its services to the educational, health, oil & gas, and security sectors of the economy.

    Its Executive Director, Marketing and Business Development, Hon Samson Osagie, said the firm is also targeting the broadcasting and financial sectors, adding that it also has its eyes on state governments.

    He said: “We are using NigComSat-1R to provide communications solutions that are tailor made to clients’ needs in order to enhance service delivery.”

    On the services available on the platform, he said they include  VSAT – Ku-band (iDirect); C-band (iDirect); Ka-band (Newtec), DTH Services – 100 SD channels;; Cisco Platform; Transponder Leasing; Internet of Things (IOT) & customer service management (CSM) services. Others are colocation and backup services, training, and turnaround services.

    He said the firm provides broadband internet and multimedia services, telemedicine, ele-education, e-services (such as e-Government, e-Commerce, e-Agriculture), tele-presence: video conferencing with voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

    On direct to home (DTH) services, Osagie said the satellite was designed to offer standard definition channels on a Pay TV & Free-To-View service delivery model, stressing that the system was designed for easy upgrade to High Definition channels

    He identified opportunities in broadcasting/DTH, IOT/CSM for other satellite operators, transponder lease, tracking & navigation and others, adding that the firm is open to  strategic partnerships.

    According to him, NigComSat-1R C-band foot print include Southern Mauritania, Southern Mali, Southern Niger, Southern Chad, Southern Sudan (Half), South Western Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and  North Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Others are Central African Republic, Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, Gambia, Cameroon, Gabon. Equatorial Guinea, South Western Chad, Angola, Congo Brazzaville, Namibia, Zambia, Southern Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Western Zimbabwe and Northern South Africa.

  • U.S. to provide Nigerian youths access to technology

    The United States (U.S.) has pledged support to programmes that provide Nigeria youths with access to quality technological learning opportunities.

    Its Consulate-General in Nigeria made the pledge in Lagos during the grand finale of a week-long robotics workshop organised for 303 teachers and 187 students in the country.

    The forum was organised with Consulate General in collaboration with RoboRave International, a U.S.-based tech academy.

    Speaking at the workshop held at the Zone Tech Park in Gbagada, Lagos, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Russell Brooks, said the workshop was designed to stimulate the interest of the participating students in math and science, as well as careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

    Mr. Brooks discussed the importance of STEM education to Nigeria’s future prosperity and economic competitiveness.

    According to him, developing robotics skills can place students on a track to future careers in computer science and artificial intelligence.

    “The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to supporting programmes that provide youth with access to quality technological learning opportunities.

  • Interswitch, Microsoft okay blockchain technology for SMEs

    With innovative blockchain technology supply and financing service for Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria will be seamless, Interswitch and Microsoft have said.

    The finance solution and digital technology driven companies made this known in Lagos stating that all values chains in the supply industries and across Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) ecosystem can drive economic value with the solution.

    As gathered, Interswitch Blockchain Service (Supply Chain Finance Module), is built and hosted using the Microsoft Azure Blockchain technology which is considered as secured with scalable cloud solutions that accelerate and support the next generation of blockchain applications.

    According to Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, the Interswitch Blockchain Service has been introduced in Nigeria to bring together entrepreneurs, major financial institutions and corporates organisations to foster end-to-end visibility for fast and seamless trade financing in supply chain operations.

    “In our 15 years of operation, we have experienced the bottle necks associated with the existing corporate-based financing infrastructure in Nigeria.

    “This is why we are happy to partner with Microsoft, by leveraging the advanced technology of the Microsoft Azure Blockchain, to prove the possibility of building a distributed ledger that is practical, viable and has the propensity to solve some of Nigeria’s most difficult financial and logistic problems,” he said.

    With the launch of the Interswitch Blockchain Service (Supply Chain Finance Module), small to middle-sized businesses can access more funding in a shorter time (up to three weeks) from participating banks such as United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTB) and Zenith Bank Plc and enjoy increased sales cycles from participating corporations such as the Dangote Group.

    While the application of blockchain is usually associated with cryptocurrency, the Interswitch Blockchain service does not deploy the use of cryptocurrency in its application. Transaction enquiries and verifications will be handled by authorized officials from participating entities, without the incentives of a cryptocurrency.

    Principal Program Manager, Microsoft Azure Blockchain at Microsoft Corporation, Michael Glaros, said; “We are excited about this partnership with Interswitch. This will be the first enterprise-grade blockchain service in Nigeria, and one of only a handful of production blockchain applications in use by banks and corporates globally. The blockchain technology is still in its infancy in Nigeria and we are happy to pioneer its deployment in partnership with Interswitch, an innovative and forward-thinking company which has evolved its business around financial technology”

    The Interswitch Blockchain Service, armed with a single version of the truth across the supply chain, allows Nigerian lenders and suppliers to identify and build relationships with high performing entrepreneurs. This will help empower people to create more jobs, more wealth, and a more prosperous Africa.

    “Interswitch, in collaboration with Microsoft, has built a platform that will allow anyone to build blockchain-based solutions easily and more cost effectively. It is truly blockchain for everyone with lower costs and shorter time.” Mitchell concluded.

  • Buoyed by the success recorded with the Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI), the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) will train over 2000 primary and secondary school teachers and administrators before year end.

    Its Administrator, Dr. Ike Adinde, disclosed this in a chat with reporters at the weekend in Lagos. He said the programme is being extended to secondary schools under the initiative tagged Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) with funding provided by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    DBI is the capacity-building arm of the NCC which has the mandate to train Nigerians on emerging trends  Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    Adinde said the schools will cut across all the six geographical zones of the federation.

    He described ADAPTI as a shining example of what intervention from government can do. “The NCC has supported ADAPTI from its inception and so today the universities are enjoying our capacity building opportunities because there is funding coming from the NCC via the ADAPTI programme to the universities. As we speak ADAPTI has accounted for the training of over 50,000 Nigerian lecturers and non- lecturers across all tertiary institutions.

    “This year, we have extended the programme with the approval of the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, to secondary schools, so we now have a second component of another version of ADAPTI which we call  Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) which is an appreciation programme for secondary schools. This year, we’re targeting over 2000 primary and secondary school teachers,” Adinde said.

  • Huawei to train 1000 civil servants in ICT

    Global ICT firm, Huawei Technologies, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government to kick-start the second phase of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) for Change Programme. This training will involve 1000 federal civil servants that would be trained and empowered in capacity building.

    The signing ceremony for the project, which took place in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation,  had the SGF, Boss Mustapha; Huawei Technologies Vice President, Xue Man; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita; Secretary of the State Secretarial Office, Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle, National Backbone CEO, Yusuf Kazaure, President of Huawei Western African Region, and the General Manager, Managing Director of Huawei Nigeria, Li Teng, sign the MoU.

    In an address, Man, said: “According to a study from Huawei and Oxford Economics, over the past three decades, every one USD invested in digital technologies has led to $20 rise in GPD. As a global leading ICT company, we are willing to work together with all stakeholders to bring digital to every person, every home and every organisation in Nigeria.

    “The government sector is one of the industries most influenced by ICT technology. We hope that by working together with the federal government, the ICT for Change Initiative will help to equip civil servants with the necessary knowledge to face this great digital transformation.”

    Responding, Mustapha, said the programme is in alignment with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (2017-2020) to enhance the capacities and capabilities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) performance and delivery systems. In this regard, the programme supports in the area of automation of processes and bureaucratic procedures to make them more efficient by implementing an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution, he said.

    Oyo-Ita, applauded the synergy between Huawei and the Federal Government, expressing optimism that the ICT training under the company’s CSR will go a long way to achieve the 2017-2020 civil service strategic reforms on capacity development and technological know-how. The first phase of the initiative saw 2000 youth get trained. In this second phase, 1000 civil servants will receive a one-week training starting from the end of this year.

    Over the years, Huawei has been investing in ICT upskilling and capacity building in an effort to boost employment; develop knowledge-intensive products and services; and enhance the ICT skills of the future generations.

     

  • NCC seeks UK’s collaboration on digital inclusion, others

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the United Kingdom (UK) government, have agreed to collaborate on digital inclusion, cyber security, capacity building and bridging the  yawning access gap in the nation’s information communication technology (ICT) space.

    NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, spoke on the collaboration after meeting with Senior Private Sector Development Adviser & Head, Digital Inclusion at Department of Foreign &International Development (DFID), Alessandra Lustrati, who led a high-powered delegation from the UK on courtesy visit to NCC headquarters in Anuja..

    “This delegation is here to explore how the UK government can channel a significant intervention to the tune of £1.2 billion to create wealth and posterity in selected countries around the world. And this creation of posterity will leverage the power of ICT to provide access to unserved and underserved areas in the country. The intervention is also on cyber security and capacity building, three key areas,” he said.

    Earlier, Danbatta had told the delegation that there were 200 access gaps in the country and the Commission was looking at different rural technology solutions to bridge the gaps in two years, as against the 20 years projected.

    “With the right rural technology solution, we can do it faster, because at the rate we are plugging the gaps, it will take us about 20 years to conclude.  These gaps deprive 40 million Nigerians of access to telecoms services, out of 190 million.

    “The good thing about getting a solution to the access gap problem  is that, we know where the gaps are, we have our access gap map, we can actually point out where the gaps are,” he said.

    Speaking earlier, Lustrati told the EVC that the UK government was hoping to start the implementation of the intervention from as early as April, next year, noting that the project was deliberately made “country-specific” to enable countries like Nigeria choose the nature of the interventions they desire.